Uganda’s working population grows to 19 million – UBOS

KAMPALA. The second National Labour Force survey released by Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) yesterday indicates that Uganda’s working age population has increased from 15.7 million to now 18.843 million.The latest statistics represent 81.1 per cent in 2016/17 survey compared to 78.5 per cent in the 2011/12 survey. The increase in the working age population is due to growth in population size which now stands at 37.7 million.

The National Labour Force Survey (NLFS) which was released at Statistics House in Kampala shows that in both years of survey, there were more females than males, constituting 52 per cent in 2016/17 survey and 51 per cent in the 2011/12 survey. Ubos officials say the working age population is the population above the legal working and as such, the working–age for Uganda was set at 14-64 years.

However, during the NLFS 2016/17 implementation, data was collected from all persons aged five years and above to enable compilation of child labour statistics in the country. Releasing the NLFS report, the Senior Labour Statistician, Mr Michael Sijje Ogen, said: “The biggest proportion of 73 per cent of the working age population was resident in rural areas in 2016/17. The proportion of children was 17 per cent in 2016/17 lower than it was in 2011/12 which was 22 per cent.

The problem of child labour reduced as a result of Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development efforts against the vice as well as Internal Labour Organisation campaign against the same.In terms of employment, Mr Ogen said paid employees were more predominant in urban areas with 48 per cent compared to rural areas which constituted 27 per cent.

In terms of distribution of labour, Kampala City had the highest proportion of the employed persons in paid employment with 53 per cent followed by peri-urban Kampala with 53 per cent. The Karamoja region had the lowest proportion of 18 per cent, he said. For sectoral employment, agriculture, forestry and fishing as well as the services sectors provided more employment to Ugandans with shares of 41 per cent and 42 per cent respectively compared to production sector with only 16 per cent. “The employed females were more likely to be engaged in agriculture, forestry and fishing as well as in services compared to males who were more predominant in the production sector,” Mr Ogen said.